Answers to a few questions:Yes, there is a distant possibility that there will be a sequel to Islands of the Blessed, but not until I finish the Scorpion sequel and not unless the publisher agrees to print it.Are Jack and Thorgil dead at the end of the book?In one sense yes.The Islands of the Blessed are a kind of afterlife, but they are also where heroes rest before being reborn.King Arthur was taken there in a boat piloted by three queens.The legend says that if England is ever in great danger, King Arthur will return to defend it.Bards, like Dragon Tongue, go and come between the two worlds.Remember that Gandalf the Gray, in Lord of the Rings, died in the mines of Moria.I don’t think there’s any question of that.But he was reformed and reborn as Gandalf the White.It is perfectly possible that Jack and Thorgil could return.

The book, Islands of the Blessed, is about sacrifice.There are unwilling and evil human sacrifices carried out by the Picts, the Northmen and King Adder Tooth.There are also noble self-sacrifices by heroes and saints for the good of others.That’s the kind that gets you into The Islands or into Heaven.

The deal for making the Ear, the Eye and the Arm into a movie fell through.(Most Hollywood deals fall through so I wasn’t surprised.)The people who were working on it were so upset they quit their jobs and moved to another company.They are still trying to promote the book.This was very courageous in these poor economic times and I am most grateful for their loyalty.

The Young Adult category was thought up by publishers to sell more books.It doesn’t really mean much.You’re supposed to limit the amount of sex and violence, but some YA authors pay no attention to the rule.I like YA because people that age are still excited about life.Later on, many adults turn into zombies.They do the same thing day after day, hardly noticing the world around them.They drug themselves with television, alcohol and Prozac to make up for their depressing existences.Smart adults never grow up.

I am working on the sequel to Scorpion, and it is full of lovely surprises which I won’t reveal.Thanks to everyone who sent me ideas.I actually used a couple of them.I probably won’t call it God’s Ash Tray now because it won’t take place in the Nevada desert known as God’s Ash Tray.

Harold and I are thinking about moving to the Oasis.Yes!The real Oasis in the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona.It would be taking a huge chance because we are too old to live so far from doctors, grocery stores and gas stations.If you get bitten by a rattlesnake (and there are thousands of them) you have to be flown by helicopter to get help.First you have to radio for the helicopter.The Oasis is home to bears, mountain lions, snakes, tarantulas and, now and then, people carrying backpacks of drugs.But it is very beautiful.It is home to scientists and bird watchers.Retired astronomers have built small, white observatories on lonely cliffs.There’s nothing like it anywhere in the country.

I loved the Trolls trilogy and got my family to read them as well. Olaf is one of my favorite characters in any book. I also love House of the Scorpions and am excited for the sequel. I live in Northern Idaho and it is pretty rural here as well, but I love it. Good luck with the "maybe" move.

If you could break down the books you love without including your books what will it be?

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Shannon

3/22/2010 03:03:46 pm

I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to take the opportunity to say how much I love your books. Since I'm currently 18, I suppose I don't really fit into the "Young Adult" category anymore, but to be honest, so many "YA" books have more interesting plots and themes than the supposedly more sophisticated books that I am told are the only ones suitable for my age group. While I suppose reading The Scarlet Letter is an important milestone in the standard American literature education, I'd much rather be reading The Ear, The Eye, and the Arm; A Girl Named Disaster; or The House of the Scorpion. I can't count how many times I've read your books. And, like you said in an earlier post, each time reveals new gems that you've left for us readers. Hope you get well soon!! (I'll admit that's mostly a selfish statement: learning that there will be a sequel to The House of the Scorpion honestly made my day.)

P.S. While you definitely deserve the recognition (and $$) that a movie would bring, I can't imagine Hollywood doing any of your books justice...I can imagine myself screaming furiously at the screen for not being devoted enough to your words.

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Joseph Jacobs

3/25/2010 03:57:46 am

We have been reading your novel "The Sea of Trolls" in my Language Arts classes. Needless to say, we love it. Is there any hope that it will be made into a motion picture? I can just see Stellan Skaarsgard as Olaf One Brow as I read.

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Audri

3/29/2010 08:10:11 am

My english class finished House of the Scorpion a couple of weeks ago, and, as an understatment: we loved it. My class didn't like the ending, but the rest of the book was a real page turner. Before we ended the book, I stumbled upon your website,and read that you were creating a sequal to HOS. When I told my classmates about it, they were estatic to hear about the sequal, and can't wait for it. We wish you well, and good luck on the new adventures for Matt!

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Alicia Bloyd

3/31/2010 02:31:59 am

Ms. Farmer,

I have been teaching The House of the Scorpion for the past six years in my middle school literature class. Every year, I find all my readers (whether reluctant or advanced) fall in love with the characters and the story. This year, I had one young lady read the story over and over again in hopes that Tam Lin wouldn't die. I smiled when she told me this because I couldn't help but understand where she was coming from. Every year, I tell the students that there is hope of a sequel and the hope of this someday becoming a movie. Students are currently finishing the novel over our spring break. As soon as they return, I am going to have them submit their ideas for a sequel. Could you post on your blog a small note to Illini Bluffs Middle School students telling them that the sequel is coming and provide a small teaser? (It can be the same stuff that you have already posted, but I would love to have something more personal). I would love to pull this up after they have turned in their assignments, so they can see that their new favorite author is working on something that they have been talking and writing about? We just finished reading articles from newspapers on the violence and drugs on the border. This really ignited classroom discussion.

Thank you for writing books that make my students excited about reading.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bloyd, 7th grade language arts

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Zeke Freek

3/31/2010 05:44:23 am

House of the Scorpion was recommended to me by a friend. I loved it.

I totally agree that the ending could have been expanded upon more. In fact, I'm still confused as to who died at the funeral.

I too, would love to see a movie on this book, but there are a few reasons why this would be very difficult.

1. The pacing. This book takes place over the course of 14 years. They'd have to get a kid Matt, a pre-teen Matt and a teen Matt. They'd all have to be believably similar in voice and appearance as well. The same for other characters as well that age through the story. The other kids. The adults, they could get away with as adults don't look too DRASTICALLY different after 14 years.2. Length. This book is fairly long, but EVERY page is important. Not like some other long books were stuff can get left out. To accurately portray the book, a film would have to be 3hrs atleast.

Nonetheless i would love to see it in film form and maybe someday it will happen. And if he was hispanic at all I would love to see somebody like Christopher Lee play El Patron... but then again Lee's probably a pretty expensive actor.

Sequel? Excited. Hope to see it next year, I guess is a good estimate. I didn't think this was a very good setup for a sequel, (A similar problem in "The Chocolate War" who's sequel I have yet to read). But I will but my hopes in you, Mrs. Farmer. :)

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Zeke Freek

3/31/2010 05:47:36 am

Actually, thinking back, I wouldn't be opposed to an animated film based on this book... not CGI as that would be kinda pointless but Cel-Shaded animation? If done right, I could live with that.

I want to thank you for the many hours of pleasure you have given me and my friends. We are all in awe of your creative genius. I have listened to all your YA books on CD, which in my opinion is twice as good as reading & I can do it while driving to work.

I'm 60 - my sister, who introduced me to your books, is 64 and my other friends are even older! We all LOVE your books!

Thank You.

Sarah

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Cary

4/6/2010 09:13:20 am

if you had to put a due dateon any sequel(s)what day would that be(so this way i can start that new book and be completely uninterruptedthis way it doesn't take me 3 days to finish one book

good luck finishing everything you are working on

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Victor Hinz

4/6/2010 11:03:08 am

Hello Mrs. Farmer I am a Junior in the Wisconsin Dells High School and currently working on my Eagle Project in Boy Scouts. I have just recently become a great fan of your Sea of Trolls trilogy. It is become my favorite series since The Lord of the Rings and the historical sense it has is amazing. I have a lot of ideas for any other stories of this series that,if you are interested, can use though I'm still trying to put it together.Get well soon and God bless!

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Victor Hinz

4/8/2010 02:02:26 pm

Hi again. I just remembered some questions and comments about The Islands of the Blessed. First, will Jack and Thorgil ever hook up or show their feelings to each other? Second, do you think that Ethne would be better off with king Brutus or King skakki because, in just my own opinion, Skakki would treat her better. Lastly, a good director for a moive of the trolls series might be Peter Jackson, maybe, and Ian Mckellen could play a good bard, Dragon tongue. Sorry if these thoughts are pushy. After all this is only the second time I've ever blogged. Thank you for your great books and once again God bless!

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Herb Heppner

4/9/2010 12:18:09 am

NancyI just read The Land of the Silver Apples and I want to send you some observations about the book. Could you send me an email address where I can send my comments?Herb

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Jamie

4/14/2010 06:31:41 am

After reading this I am very excited!!!! I do hope that you will decide to make a sequel to The Islands of the Blessed after you finish the sequel to The House of the Scorpian (I will be excited to this as well!)Again, I hope your choice will be to make the sequel! Thanks!

Hi Nancy, i love the book House of the Scorpion. I love the romance between Maria and Matt, I love the whole story but one question has been buzzing in my mind forever....will you make a sequel for it? If not i understand, its hard to write a great story. If yes great!! I cant wait.

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Zeke Freek

4/16/2010 01:48:10 pm

@Cam Lautner

Didn't you read anything on the site? The sequel has been mentioned everywhere. lol

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Jimmi

4/16/2010 01:51:57 pm

Hi Nancy in the book house of the scorpion does maria really like matt to or did she just say i love u in a kid type way.

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ash

4/17/2010 12:08:42 pm

hey nancy! i have a question does maria love matt? because she says that she loves him about twice in tha book and she hugges him and kisses him also_ but whenever i go to wiki it says that its not sure that maria loves him to_ so i want to know what ur going to call the sequel to house of the scorpion_

with care_ ashley

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Melonie

4/19/2010 07:06:04 am

Hi Nancy! i lovd the book house of the scorpion.. i was at the libary (for some odd reason, im not a real reader)and i found your book. i saw that it was named house of the scorpion, it sounded really cheesy but i saw that it had 3 medals so i checked out. i went home that night and thought i wouldnt read it but i did. it is AWSOME!! i didnt want it to end! and now that i hear theres a sequel i even more exiceted!! heres some reasons i like the book.

Matt and Maria are so cute!: "I love you" matt said "I love you too" said maria " i know thats a sin and ill probaly go to hell for it" " if i have a soul ill go with you" and then a little be4 that matt said maria was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. im a sucker for romance (love)!

The great friendship Matt has with Chacho and Fidlito

i also have a few questions.: i know this is bugging you but please, when will the sequl be out. just guess. God Bless You!

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Melonie (again)

4/19/2010 07:35:19 am

i also forgot....MAKE A MOVIE!!!really it would be really cool!

my faveriot character is maria...even though shes a cry baby...i dont blame her if my mom left me when i was 5 idd be sad all the time! and she kinda has no one to hang out with. her sister is sorta a b!tch, her dada is probaly never there. so yea she probaly is sad.

oh yeah and i hope in the next book that matt and maria would be boyfriend and girlfriend.. and mabey get married. it depends what age they are

Dear Ms. Farmer - On Sunday after Mass, I begged my parents to take me to the bookstore to purchase Islands of the Blessed. Today is Monday, and I have just finished the book. I wanted you to know how much it would please so many readers, including me, to read of Jack and Thorgil's adventures at the school of bards. I do hope you will consider it. I am sure the publisher will agree if you ask them and show them the many fans you have. Yours truly, Rock Morille, age 12

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Hayden

4/21/2010 08:59:58 am

Hey, I love your Trolls trilogy. I just wanted to say i hope you write more of the trolls books.

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Bob

4/21/2010 10:11:16 am

I really enjoyed the trolls series and hope you continue to make more Troll books.

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Eric

4/21/2010 08:24:14 pm

Your Sea of Trolls (including Silver Apples/Islands of the Blessed), House of the Scorpion are in my top 3 books. I really hope you continue the Islands of the Blessed. The ending was so strange that I want to read more!! What is their life like in the Bard School? Will Thorgil see her mother? How will their relationship work out? What fine adventures will they continue!?

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Victor Hinz

4/24/2010 12:01:34 pm

I have just read everyones' blog and I must say Mrs. Farmer that both the Sea of Trolls series and the House of the Scopion are extremly popular. i would eve dare to say as popular as The Chronicles of Narnia and The lord of the Rings. So in my own opinion the publishers of your books should take a closer look at how popular your books are.Could possibly for one of Jack's and Thorgil's adventures deal with the fate of all the nine worlds and even heaven gets involved?

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Alicia

4/27/2010 02:21:04 am

I am from Mrs. BLoyd's class and i just wanted to say that i think you're work is very inspirational and i enjoyed reading The House of the Scorpion in Mrs. Bloyd's class. I look forward to the sequel. I think maybe Matt and Maria should get married and their be like a twist in the story where there are more clones or something separates Matt and Maria.

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Madison

4/27/2010 07:49:53 am

I am also from Mrs. Bloyd's class and I thought your book was fantastic. It was probably one of the best books I have ever read. It really inspired me to right the epologue that Mrs. Bloyd had us do after we read the book.Thanks for putting the time and effort into making these books.

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Lynsi

5/5/2010 02:06:57 am

Nancy- I loved your book! It was full of exciting parts, I can not pick my favorite. I am looking forward to your sequel. I am from Illini Bluffs middle school in Mrs.Bloyd's classroom. It was the best book I have ever read! I am glad Mrs. Bloyd assigned us to read this book. I hope the sequel comes out very soon so I can read another one of your amazing books! I am also looking forward to reading some of your other series!Thank you for your time! :)~Lynsi

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Vanessa

5/12/2010 02:32:52 am

Hi, I love House of the escorpion.I´m from Brazil and I want very much to read his other books.He has other books translated into Portuguese?

Please answer me by email: vanessa_cscosta@hotmail.com

Sorry for EnglishThank´s

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Chris

5/18/2010 08:27:04 am

AS many of the other people here, I too loved the troll series. I went through them so fast and loved them all. I think it would be really interesting if you told Jack and Thorgil's adventures in the school of the bards as they continue to grow as friends and get stronger as well.Chris-age 14

The Trolls trilogy was amazing. i just really hope that there might be a 4th book...

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Mike

5/24/2010 06:43:16 am

I absolutely loved The House of the Scorpion. I read it in 3 and a half days! I never read book but I decided that I would read this one so I would do good on essays and tests. I needed to catch up reading so I read the first 70 pages at once. After that, I couldn't stop reading. I was so sad when they blames Matt for the death of Furball. My favorite character was Maria. There was something about her I loved. I hope Matt and her end up happy together. When the book was over I was really sad and I just need to keep reading about it. When is the sequal coming out???

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Ahnaf Hassan

5/27/2010 05:20:06 am

After finishing The Islands of the Blessed and reading the Jack and Thorgil are both going to Bard School, I couldn't help but wonder what experiences lay ahead of them. I would love another book, and I know that it would be just as great, if not better, than all the rest.

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krissy b

6/7/2010 08:17:03 am

omg i want u 2 make a 4th trolls book soo bad i luv that series my fav carachter is thorgil

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Emmeline DeLacey

6/8/2010 08:31:42 am

I love your Sea of Trolls series so much! I'm indescriabably overjoyed that you're considering writing a fourth book. While The Islands of The Blessed was very beautifully written i feel like there are some loose ends that need to be tied up. I'm looking forward to hearing about Jack and Thorgil's adventures at the School of Bards- and I have to admit I did expect a little romance bewteen them. Thanks!Emmeline

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Emmeline

6/8/2010 08:32:57 am

P.S.- The Sea of Trolls would make a great movie! Dibs on Thorgil! :)

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Julia

6/12/2010 10:00:32 am

I'm so excited you are considering a fourth Trolls book! The series is among my favorites of all time and I am thrilled at the prospect of another book.I love the series for so many reasons. I really like how you foumd a way to blend all the different cultures and religions together, from Saxons to Northmen, from Christianity to Norse mythology. The latter I escpecially enjoy reading about. I like reading about the cultures because I have Norwegian anscestors.Another thing I love about your writing is the way every sentence flows into the next smoothly, and I also admire the detail- not too little, not too much. It paints the picture without being too wordy.Lastly, I would like to compliment your characters. Each one is very strong and well developed, so much that I feel like I know that character. Thank you for reading this, and I really hope you decide to write a sequel to The Islands of the Blessed!

Please write a sequel to Islands of the Blessed. I feel lost now that I have finished the book. Thanks for writing such great books. I am 10 years old and love reading your books.

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Brandon

11/15/2010 11:00:51 am

Dear Nancy, I picked up your first trolls book at a school book fair. Ever since then i have been a HUGE fan. You and your books have been a big part of my life. You have inspired me to try to be a author myself. My first attempt of a name for it is "The War of Noble Blood" what do you think? Mail me if you want to look at the first chapter. Thank you, sincerely, Brandon age 16.

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Kalin

11/16/2010 09:47:12 am

I am completely stuck on your Trolls trilogy! i'm postponing reading the last few pages of The Islands because of how upset i will be when it is finished haha... The series has truly shed a new light on how I view life and those around me. The books have taught me so much.. I am filled with an anxious joy everytime i think of the possible sequel to The Islands of the Blessed haha. Don't let publishers bring you down... this series runs so much deeper than a willingness to take a gamble.. everyone i have spread these stories to has fallen completely in love with them :) I just hope with all my heart that the series continues.. Best of luck with your new home :)

With much admiriation,

Kalin

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Kalin

11/16/2010 02:12:44 pm

finished Islands.. magnificent.. Everyone ive talked to that knows about the sea of trolls loved it, but i haven't met anyone who knew that there were sequels made. the storeis are trully amazing and the characters so dynamic, its impossible to not want to read another. but the problem is no one (in san diego county atleast) that ive spoken to knew sequels existed... even my 12th grade english teacher didn't know of the third book, and she introduced me to The Sea of Trolls. either way I will continue introducing people to the books, and fingers still crossed on the arrival of more tales of Jack and Thorgil :)

Sincerely,Kalin

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Anonymously Ominous

12/27/2010 02:30:22 am

Ms. Nancy, I've read The House of the Scorpion and all the Troll books, and they are simply amazing. The characters are so natural, and I truly appreciate how no one is perfect. If there's one thing I cannot stand, it is a character with no faults because then all I do is long to leap in the book and shake them. Yes, I know, I really should not blame them for being perfect, but anyway, I love how you made your characters. Olaf One-brow is one of my favorite characters of all time; he is A-W-E-S-O-M-E, although I am sure you are already well aware of such an undeniable fact. By the way, does he have anything to do with Count Olaf from Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events? If you write a sequel, I will, naturally, devour it with relish. However, I must beseech you to please not write too many sequels. This is because hunting books down and finding time to read them requires time I have to put into studying instead.:( Also, I have told anyone who will listen about your books, but none of them share my sense of awesomeness. Anyway, thank you so much for your time.:)-Ominous

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Jared

1/4/2011 05:16:12 am

Dear Ms. Farmer

I assume this will be one of the first few comments of 2011, and with that is has been almost 2 years since The Islands of the Blessed has been published. I started out with the series in 2005 at the age of 10 when I picked up The Sea of Trolls at random, had to say I loved it! But for some reason it always bugged me, the book didn't feel complete, like it should have sequels. Needless to say in 2009 I herd of Silver Apples and Islands of the Blessed. Well it took a little while to track down the copies, but as of yesterday I have finished the series. And as many have previously stated, and you no doubt have addressed I feel the ending of the book, though brilliantly executed what with the confusion about Jack and Thorgil being dead or not, leaves room for a sequel, if not a prequel following The Bard. There is an excellent amount of room for future adventured featuring the main protagonists Jack and Thorgil, and as a few have mentioned I was hoping for Thorgil to show her love for Jack. But as I say there are many tales yet to be answered, such as how The Bard melted the hole in the troll queen's place haha, a mystery I am sure fans would love answered. Though i am aware you are currently working on a sequel to The House of the Scorpion, eagerly anticipation that by the way, I would love for the Troll's Trilogy to be built upon once work on Scorpion sequel has concluded. None the less thank you for your time.

I can almost guarentee u that they will publish a new book to that series and i hope u dont leave us waiting too terribly long i dont think i can take it much longer and i just finished islands of the blessed a few muinets ago lol but u are a very talented writer and should u make a copy and them not publish it please send me a copy because whatever they say u have it the way it should be thank u
-tommy tapp

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Dion Riutta

4/16/2011 12:30:12 pm

I just wanted to say your isle of the blessed book and the others in that series are excellent books and I really hope to see you make a sequel to islands of the blessed.

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Dion Riutta

4/16/2011 12:32:44 pm

I just wanted to say that your isle of the blessed book and the rest of the books in that series are excellent and i really hope to see you make a sequel to isle of the blessed.

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A "non"

7/2/2011 02:48:57 pm

Hey, Mrs. Farmer. As much as I love The House of the Scorpion and can't wait for the sequel, I just can't help but feel that there is too much left to Jack and Thorgil's world to be left unexplored. I really love the cultural references you throw in the books and there is just so much more and so many more adventures they could have that I believe could warrant at very least one last sequel. Thorgil is my favorite character and I love how she changes throughout the books. The subtle hints of romance between her and Jack are great too. So, anyway, I know you probably get a lot of these and it probably won't make a great deal of difference, but here's one more person dying for a sequel to a great series :)

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Blue Moon

10/25/2014 03:55:49 am

Sequil. Jack. Thorgil. Now. ;)

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Jone Bazkez

10/17/2015 02:08:58 pm

I readed the sea of trolls and The land of the silver apples when I was just a kid and I couldn't wait for the third part, but it was never translated to spanish. Fortunately, I've just discovered that the book exists even if it's not in spanish, I'm going to read it for sure, I just hope it's as good as the previous ones.
I feel bad for all the spanishspeaking (idk if it's said like this) readers, because many of them will get stuck in the second book as it happened to me.